Search results for: sustainable business strategies
11457 Exploring Teaching Strategies Utilized by Primary School English Language Teachers
Authors: Belyihun Muchie
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Teaching strategies significantly influence the effectiveness of language teaching practices. Macro/micro ELT strategies realizes the practicality of language teaching in the classroom, where the teacher and students play together. The study aimed to identify teaching strategies employed by primary English language teachers in EFL classrooms. It also analyzed the alignment of teaching strategies with the contemporary language teaching approaches and principles. More over, the study evaluated primary English language teachers' perceptions of the challenges and benefits of implementing innovative teaching strategies. The study used a descriptive survey research design with mixed methods approaches and convergent parallel mixed methods of data collection and analysis. Ten primary schools were selected conveniently, including 60 teachers in total. To collect the adequate data classroom observation, questionnaire and document analysis were used. From the analysis, it was found that primary school English language teachers were not teaching English using innovative teaching strategies. Hence, the alignment of their teaching strategies with the principles and syllabus of the English subject was mismatched. Finally, although there were hindrances of employing innovative teaching strategies, teachers’ commitment of trying much alternatives, was found to be less. They voiced concerns about the erosion of respect for the teaching profession, low salaries, lack of incentives for best practices, insufficient teaching resources, and autocratic leadership within schools. Therefore, as teachers found it increasingly difficult to teach English, it was concluded that primary school English language teachers were not employing innovative ELT strategies in their EFL classroom for effective language teaching in Ethiopia.Keywords: ELT strategies, descriptive survey research design, innovative teaching strategies, primary school English language teachers
Procedia PDF Downloads 1611456 Sustainable Urban Waterfronts Using Sustainability Assessment Rating System
Authors: R. M. R. Hussein
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Sustainable urban waterfront development is one of the most interesting phenomena of urban renewal in the last decades. However, there are still many cities whose visual image is compromised due to the lack of a sustainable urban waterfront development, which consequently affects the place of those cities globally. This paper aims to reimagine the role of waterfront areas in city design, with a particular focus on Egypt, so that they provide attractive, sustainable urban environments while promoting the continued aesthetic development of the city overall. This aim will be achieved by determining the main principles of a sustainable urban waterfront and its applications. This paper concentrates on sustainability assessment rating systems. A number of international case-studies, wherein a city has applied the basic principles for a sustainable urban waterfront and have made use of sustainability assessment rating systems, have been selected as examples which can be applied to the urban waterfronts in Egypt. This paper establishes the importance of developing the design of urban environments in Egypt, as well as identifying the methods of sustainability application for urban waterfronts.Keywords: sustainable urban waterfront, green infrastructure, energy efficient, Cairo
Procedia PDF Downloads 47211455 Investigating the Behavior of Individual Business Taxpayers: Behavioral Economics Approach
Authors: Yeganeh Mousavi Jahromi, Sahar Dehghan
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In Direct Tax Act, penalties and incentives are two strategies for realization of the expected tax revenues. In this study, the interaction between individual businesses' taxpayers' behaviors and National Tax Administration is investigated by using prospect theory which is based on behavioral economics approach. For this purpose, the structure of the tax compliance of the mentioned taxpayers is evaluated via the changes in penalty and incentive rates. In this way, a special questionnaire regarding the items of individual businesses sector of Direct Tax Act was designed for tax compliance evaluation, and the results were obtained using Bayesian Hierarchical method. The results indicate that the investigated individual business taxpayers, at all income levels, were more sensitive toward incentive rates so that this result can be useful for tax policymakers.Keywords: behavioral economics, prospect theory, tax compliance, penalties, incentives
Procedia PDF Downloads 6811454 The Impact of Urban Planning and French Reglementions on the Management of Algerian Environment
Authors: Sara Zatir, Kouide Brahimi, Amira Zatir
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The planning and the environment have long evolved at the same two parallel tracks. But today, we can design a layout without addressing its environmental impact on the landscape. And the role of The documents of the regulatory planning is to control the urbanization of a common and its effects indirectly on the urban environment, but what about the urban landscape? Algeria is like many countries in the world leans primarily on developing sustainable economy, it was officially declared in the Maghreb countries, with the enactment of Law No. 01-20 of 12 December 2001 on the organization and sustainable development of the territory, one of the purposes of this law is the protection, mapping values and rational use of, natural resources, heritage and the natural preservation for future generations. However, Algeria initiatives have recently been undertaken but it still have some infancy which can be detected by the cavity between the delineation instruments,regulations and. In this context, we should note the important role of public authorities in the situation of the living and its future. The idea is to find a balance from the unbalanced conditions (between present and future generations, between economic needs, and the needs of environmental protection and cultural, between individual and collective interests) and to develop new strategies management laws and the urban landscape.Keywords: Algeria, sustainable, development urban landscapes, laws
Procedia PDF Downloads 43511453 The Application of Nuclear Energy for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security: A Review
Authors: Gholamreza Farrokhi, Behzad Sani
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The goals of sustainable agricultural are development, improved nutrition, and food security. Sustainable agriculture must be developed that will meet today’s needs for food and other products, as well as preserving the vital natural resource base that will allow future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development requires international cooperation and the effective use of technology. Access to sustainable sources of food will remain a preeminent challenge in the decades to come. Based upon current practice and consumption, agricultural production will have to increase by about 70% by 2050 to meet demand. Nuclear techniques are used in developing countries to increase production sustainably by breeding improved crops, enhancing livestock reproduction and nutrition, as well as controlling animal and plant pests and diseases. Post-harvest losses can be reduced and safety increased with nuclear technology. Soil can be evaluated with nuclear techniques to conserve and improve soil productivity and water management.Keywords: food safety, food security, nuclear techniques, sustainable agriculture, sustainable future
Procedia PDF Downloads 35811452 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Energy Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from the Manufacturing Sector of India
Authors: Baikunthanath Sahoo, Santosh Kumar Sahu, Krishna Malakar
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With the essence of global environmental sustainability and green business management, the wind of business research moved towards Corporate Social Responsibility. In addition to international and national treaties, businesses have also started realising environmental protection and energy efficiency through CSR as part of business strategy in response to climate change. Considering the ambitious emission reduction target and rapid economic development of India, this study is an attempt to explore the effect of CSR on the energy efficiency management of manufacturing firms in India. By using firm-level data, the panel fixed effect model shows that the CSR dummy variable is negatively influencing the energy intensity or technically, they are energy efficient. The result demonstrates that in the presence of CSR, all the production economic variables are significant. The result also shows that doing environmental expenditure does not improve energy efficiency might be because very few firms are motivated to do such expenditure and also not common to all sectors. The interactive effect model result conforms that without considering CSR dummy as an intervening variable only Manufacturers of Chemical and Chemical products, Manufacturers of Pharmaceutical, medical chemical, and botanical products firms energy intensity low but after considering CSR in their business practices all six sub-sector firms become energy efficient. The empirical result also validate that firms are continuously engaged in CSR activities they are highly energy efficient. It is an important motivational factor for firms to become economically and environmentally sustainable in the corporate world. This analysis would help business practitioners to know how to manage today’s profitability and tomorrow’s sustainability to achieve a comparative advantage in the emerging market economy. The paper concludes that reducing energy consumption as part of their social responsibility to care for the environment, will need collaborative efforts of business society and policy bodies.Keywords: CSR, Energy Efficiency, Indian manufacturing Sector, Business strategy
Procedia PDF Downloads 8511451 Increasing Business Competitiveness in Georgia in Terms of Globalization
Authors: Badri Gechbaia, Levan Gvarishvili
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Despite the fact that a lot of Georgian scientists have worked on the issue of the business competitiveness, it think that it is necessary to deepen the works in this sphere, it is necessary also to perfect the methodology in the estimation of the business competitiveness, we have to display the main factors which define the competitive advantages in the business sphere, we have also to establish the interconnections between the business competitiveness level and the quality of states economical involvement in the international economic processes, we have to define the ways to rise the business competitiveness and its role in the upgrading of countries economic development. The introduction part justifies the actuality of the studied topic and the thesis; It defines the survey subject, the object, and the goals with relevant objectives; theoretical-methodological and informational-statistical base for the survey; what is new in the survey and what the value for its theoretical and practical application is. The aforementioned study is an effort to raise public awareness on this issue. Analysis of the fundamental conditions for the efficient functioning of business in Georgia, identification of reserves for increasing its efficiency based on the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the business sector. Methods of system analysis, abstract-logic, induction and deduction, synthesis and generalization, and positive, normative, and comparative analysis are used in the research process. Specific regularities of the impact of the globalization process on the determinants of business competitiveness are established. The reasons for business competitiveness in Georgia have been identifiedKeywords: competitiveness, methodology, georgian, economic
Procedia PDF Downloads 11411450 Digital Innovation and Business Transformation
Authors: Bisola Stella Sonde
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Digital innovation has emerged as a pivotal driver of business transformation in the contemporary landscape. This case study research explores the dynamic interplay between digital innovation and the profound metamorphosis of businesses across industries. It delves into the multifaceted dimensions of digital innovation, elucidating its impact on organizational structures, customer experiences, and operational paradigms. The study investigates real-world instances of businesses harnessing digital technologies to enhance their competitiveness, agility, and sustainability. It scrutinizes the strategic adoption of digital platforms, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies as catalysts for transformative change. The cases encompass a diverse spectrum of industries, spanning from traditional enterprises to disruptive startups, offering insights into the universal relevance of digital innovation. Moreover, the research scrutinizes the challenges and opportunities posed by the digital era, shedding light on the intricacies of managing cultural shifts, data privacy, and cybersecurity concerns in the pursuit of innovation. It unveils the strategies that organizations employ to adapt, thrive, and lead in the era of digital disruption. In summary, this case study research underscores the imperative of embracing digital innovation as a cornerstone of business transformation. It offers a comprehensive exploration of the contemporary digital landscape, offering valuable lessons for organizations striving to navigate the ever-evolving terrain of the digital age.Keywords: business transformation, digital innovation, emerging technologies, organizational structures
Procedia PDF Downloads 6311449 Quality Business Ethics: A Case Study
Authors: Fotis Vouzas
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This paper is an attempt to investigate the Business Ethics link to Quality Management. Business Ethics as a management practice is well rooted in many organizations, but its contribution to quality management implementation programs and practices is not well documented. The ISO 9000 and the Business Excellence frameworks and Awards seem to provide a basis for the implementation of a TQM philosophy contributing to efficiency, enhanced performance and sustainability. The author examines a series of Corporate Ethics initiatives and investigates the relationship to Total Quality Management in an MNC operating in Greece. The data gathering was carried out through extensive and in-depth interviews with several multiple informants, i.e., the plant manager, the production manager, and the personnel manager, using a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions.Keywords: total quality management, business ethics, Greece, ISO 9000
Procedia PDF Downloads 7911448 The Role of Temples Redevelopment for Informal Sector Business Development in India
Authors: Prashant Gupta
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Throughout India, temples have served as cultural centers, commerce hubs, art galleries, educational institutions, and social centers in addition to being places of worship since centuries. Across the country, there are over two million temples, which are crucial economic hubs, attracting devotees and tourists worldwide. In India, we have 53 temples per each 100,000 Indians. As per NSSO survey, the temple economy is worth about $40 billion and 2.32 per cent of GDP based on major temple’s survey, which only includes formal sector. It could be much larger as an actual estimation has not been done yet. In India, 43.1% of total economy represents informal sector. Over 10 billion domestic tourists visit to new destinations every year within India. Even 20 per cent of the 90 million foreign tourists visited Madurai and Mahabalipuram temples which became the most visited tourist spot in 2022. Recently the current central government in power have started revitalizing the ancient Indian civilization by reconstructing and beautifying the major temples of India i.e., Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakaleshwara Temple, Kedarnath, Ayodhya etc. The reason researcher chose Kashi as a case study because it is known as a Spiritual Capital of India, which is also the abode for the spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikkism, which are core Sanatan Dharmic practices. 17,800 Million INR Amount was spend to redevelop Kashi Vishwanath Corridor since 2019. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. To assess historical contribution of temples in socio economic development and revival of Indic Civilization. 2. To examine the role of temples redevelopment for informal sector businesses. 3. To identify the sub-sectors of informal sector businesses 4. To identify products and services of informal businesses for investigation of marketing strategies and business development. PROPOSED METHODS AND PROCEDURES This study will follow a mixed approach, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods of research. To conduct the study, data will be collected from 500 informal business owners through structured questionnaire and interview instruments. The informal business owners will be selected using a systematic random sampling technique. In addition, documents from government offices of the last 10 years of tax collection will be reviewed to substantiate the study. To analyze the study, descriptive and econometric analysis techniques will be employed. EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROPOSED STUDY By studying the contribution of temple re-development on informal business creation and growth, the study will be beneficial to the informal business owners and the government. For the government, scientific and empirical evidence on the contribution of temple re-development for informal business creation and growth to give evidence the study will give based infrastructural development and boosting tax collection. For informal businesses, the study will give them a detailed insight on the nature of their business and the possible future growth potential of their business, and the alternative products and services supplying to their customers in the future. Studying informal businesses will help to identify the key products and services which are majorly profitable and possess potential to multiply and grow through correct product marketing strategies and business development.Keywords: business development, informal sector businesses, services and products marketing, temple economics
Procedia PDF Downloads 8311447 Entrepreneurship in Nigeria-Funding and Financing Strategies
Authors: Yusuf Abdullahi
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The contribution of entrepreneurship in the economic development cannot be over-emphasized neither it should be underestimated for any reason as this is already a known fact that it plays an important role as a change agent and as a prime mover of economy. In developed or underdeveloped economy, the essence of entrepreneurship is highly significant as this exist in both private as well as public sectors of any economy. The roles of entrepreneurship are worldly acclaimed but yet as laudable as these roles there can be no significant success by any entrepreneur except with availability of finance. Nonetheless, mere availability of finance also cannot guarantee the success of an enterprise but there must be in place appropriate financial strategies for the funding/investment needs of an enterprise. Thus, little has been said when it comes to strategies needed to access various sources of finance. This paper, therefore, establishes appropriate strategies to obtain funds sources of finance by both small and as well as medium enterprises.Keywords: entrepreneurship, Nigeria, financial strategies, economic development
Procedia PDF Downloads 48411446 Applying Integrated QFD-MCDM Approach to Strengthen Supply Chain Agility for Mitigating Sustainable Risks
Authors: Enes Caliskan, Hatice Camgoz Akdag
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There is no doubt that humanity needs to realize the sustainability problems in the world and take serious action regarding that. All members of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the most comprehensive study on sustainability internationally, in 2015. The summary of the study is 17 sustainable development goals. It covers everything about sustainability, such as environment, society and governance. The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), such as the Internet, mobile phones, and satellites, is essential for tackling the main issues facing sustainable development. Hence, the contributions of 3 major ICT companies to the sustainable development goals are assessed in this study. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is utilized as a methodology for this study. Since QFD is an excellent instrument for comparing businesses on relevant subjects, a House of Quality must be established to complete the QFD application. In order to develop a House of Quality, the demanded qualities (voice of the customer) and quality characteristics (technical requirements) must first be determined. UN SDGs are used as demanded qualities. Quality characteristics are derived from annual sustainability and corporate social responsibility reports of ICT companies. The companies' efforts, as indicated by the QFD results, are concentrated on the use of recycled raw materials and recycling, reducing GHG emissions through energy saving and improved connectivity, decarbonizing the value chain, protecting the environment and water resources by collaborating with businesses that have completed CDP water assessments and paying attention to reducing water consumption, ethical business practices, and reducing inequality. The evaluations of the three businesses are found to be very similar when they are compared. The small differences between the companies are usually about the region they serve. Efforts made by the companies mostly concentrate on responsible consumption and production, life below water, climate action, and sustainable cities and community goals. These efforts include improving connectivity in needed areas for providing access to information, education and healthcare.Keywords: multi-criteria decision-making, sustainable supply chain risk, supply chain agility, quality function deployment, Sustainable development goals
Procedia PDF Downloads 5111445 The Impression of Adaptive Capacity of the Rural Community in the Indian Himalayan Region: A Way Forward for Sustainable Livelihood Development
Authors: Rommila Chandra, Harshika Choudhary
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The value of integrated, participatory, and community based sustainable development strategies is eminent, but in practice, it still remains fragmentary and often leads to short-lived results. Despite the global presence of climate change, its impacts are felt differently by different communities based on their vulnerability. The developing countries have the low adaptive capacity and high dependence on environmental variables, making them highly susceptible to outmigration and poverty. We need to understand how to enable these approaches, taking into account the various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders functioning at different levels, to deliver long-term socio-economic and environmental well-being of local communities. The research assessed the financial and natural vulnerability of Himalayan networks, focusing on their potential to adapt to various changes, through accessing their perceived reactions and local knowledge. The evaluation was conducted by testing indices for vulnerability, with a major focus on indicators for adaptive capacity. Data for the analysis were collected from the villages around Govind National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Indian Himalayan Region. The villages were stratified on the basis of connectivity via road, thus giving two kinds of human settlements connected and isolated. The study focused on understanding the complex relationship between outmigration and the socio-cultural sentiments of local people to not abandon their land, assessing their adaptive capacity for livelihood opportunities, and exploring their contribution that integrated participatory methodologies can play in delivering sustainable development. The result showed that the villages having better road connectivity, access to market, and basic amenities like health and education have a better understanding about the climatic shift, natural hazards, and a higher adaptive capacity for income generation in comparison to the isolated settlements in the hills. The participatory approach towards environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources were seen more towards the far-flung villages. The study helped to reduce the gap between local understanding and government policies by highlighting the ongoing adaptive practices and suggesting precautionary strategies for the community studied based on their local conditions, which differ on the basis of connectivity and state of development. Adaptive capacity in this study has been taken as the externally driven potential of different parameters, leading to a decrease in outmigration and upliftment of the human environment that could lead to sustainable livelihood development in the rural areas of Himalayas.Keywords: adaptive capacity, Indian Himalayan region, participatory, sustainable livelihood development
Procedia PDF Downloads 12011444 Cryptocurrencies: Business Students’ Awareness and Universities’ Adoption Readiness and Compatibility of Use Considering the Mediation of Attitudes
Authors: Eric S. Parilla, Marc Edward Abadilla
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The study aims to determine the effect of awareness of business students towards cryptocurrencies and the readiness of universities and colleges to accept cryptocurrencies as a medium of exchange, considering the mediation of business students’ attitudes. The research used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and deployed a questionnaire attuned to the awareness and attitudes of business students towards cryptocurrencies and readiness and compatibility of use in universities and colleges in Ilocos Norte. The output of the investigation revealed that awareness of business students is not correlated to the readiness of universities and colleges, which means that even though students understand cryptocurrencies, it is not an assurance that universities and colleges are ready to accept them as the medium of exchange. The study proposes that training and seminars for business students and professionals should be conducted to expand understanding and acceptance of cryptocurrencies.Keywords: cryptocurrencies, awareness, readiness, attitudes
Procedia PDF Downloads 22711443 A Strategy of Green Sukuk to Promote Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indonesia
Authors: Amrial, Yuri Oktaviani, Ziyan Muhammad Farhan
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On the phase of shifting paradigm into sustainability, Indonesia is involved in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) project. That act is revealed by creating Medium and Long Term Roadmap for Sustainable Finance in Indonesia which collaborated design by Indonesia Financial Service Board (OJK) and Ministry of Environment and Forestry. One of alternative for that infrastructure financing is sharia-based financing, Green Sukuk (Sukuk specified on sustainable infrastructure project). Green Sukuk for infrastructure financing in Indonesia can be issued by the government in the form of Sukuk Project Financing. Moreover, banks in Indonesia can also participate for the issuance of Green Sukuk. So that the banks can create a financing for people who are concerned about environmental issues. By using qualitative methods and literature review, this paper aims to discuss potential, strategy and planning of Green Sukuk for financing sustainable infrastructure in the purpose of SDGs. This paper will benefit for government to give scientific discussion on the strategy of Green Sukuk in promoting sustainable goals infrastructure project in Indonesia.Keywords: green sukuk, infrastructure, SDGs, sustainable
Procedia PDF Downloads 36211442 Sustainable Tourism from a Multicriteria Analysis Perspective
Authors: Olga Blasco-Blasco, Vicente Liern
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The development of tourism since the mid-20th century has raised problems of overcrowding, indiscriminate construction in seaside areas and gentrification. Increasingly, the World Tourism Organisation and public institutions are promoting policies that encourage sustainability. From the perspective of sustainability, three types of tourism can be established: traditional tourism, sustainable tourism and sustainable impact tourism. Measuring sustainability is complex due to its multiple dimensions of different relative importance and diversity in nature. In order to try to answer this problem and to identify the benefits of applying policies that promote sustainable tourism, a decision-making analysis will be carried out through the application of a multicriteria analysis method. The proposal is applied to hotel reservations and to the evaluation and management of tourism sustainability in the Spanish Autonomous Communities.Keywords: sustainable tourism, multicriteria analysis, flexible optimization, composite indicators
Procedia PDF Downloads 31211441 The Perception and Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies Among Non-English Major at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (Hutech)
Authors: T. T. K. Nguyen, T. H. Doan
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The study investigates students’ perceptions and students’ use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) among non-English majors at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH). Three main issues addressed are (1) to determine students’ perception in terms of their awareness and the level of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies; (2) students’ use in terms of frequency and preference; (3) the correlation between students’ perception in terms of the level of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies and their use in terms of frequency. The mixed method is applied in this investigation; additionally, questionnaires focus on social groups, memory groups, cognitive groups, and metacognitive groups with 350 sophomores from four different majors, and 10 sophomores are invited to structured interviews. The results showed that the vocabulary learning strategies of the current study were well aware. All those strategies were perceived as important in learning vocabulary, and four groups of vocabulary were used frequently. Students’ responses in terms of preference also confirmed students’ use in terms of frequency. On the other hand, students’ perception correlated with students’ use in only the cognitive group of vocabulary learning strategies, but not the three others.Keywords: vocabulary learning strategies, students' perceptions, students' use, mixed methods, non-English majors
Procedia PDF Downloads 5011440 An Exploratory Study on Business Leadership, Workplace Assessment, and Change Management in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: C. Akhras
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Change is the life blood of business. Dynamic factors inspire change yet may act as barriers, influencing the company’s position in the market and challenging its organizational mission and culture. Today, the business context has globalized with business enterprises in the North and South joint in mergers and the East forges a strategic alliance with the West. Moreover, given that very little remains stable in certain industries, national business goals in the millennial marketplaces might be rapid, accelerated, and differentiated growth while distinctive competitive advantage might mark new qualitative excellence in others. In a new age culture marked by change, organizations, leaders, and followers are impacted; indigenous business leaders seem to have a very important role to play in change management. This case study was carried out on 178 business employees employed in local industry to evaluate perceptions of indigenous business leadership, workplace assessment, and organizational change management in the Middle East and North Africa. Three research questions were posed: (1) In your work context, do you think business leaders are essentially changing agents? (2) In your work context, is workplace change more effective in business leaders perceived as a hierarchical change agent rather than those perceived as an empowering change agent? (3) In your work context, is workplace change more efficient in business leaders perceived as a hierarchical change agent rather than those perceived as an empowering change agent? The results of the study and its limitations imposed by time and space indicate that more comprehensive research is required in this area.Keywords: catalyst, change management, business enterprise, workplace assessment
Procedia PDF Downloads 29411439 Assessing Smallholder Farmers’ Perception of Climate Change and Coping Strategies Adopted in the Olifants Catchment of South Africa
Authors: Mary Funke Olabanji, Thando Ndarana, Nerhene Davis, Sylvester Okechukwu Ilo
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Scientific evidence indicates that climate change is already being experienced by farmers, and its impacts are felt on agricultural and food systems. Understanding the perceptions of farmers on climate change and how they respond to this change is essential to the development and implementation of appropriate policies for agriculture and food security. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of farmers’ perceptions of climate change, adopted coping strategies, long-term implications of their adaptation choices, and barriers to their decisions to adapt. Data were randomly collected from 73 respondents in five districts located in the Olifants catchment of South Africa. A combination of descriptive statistics and Chi-Square statistical tests using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyse the data obtained from the survey. Results show that smallholder farmers have an in-depth perception of climate change. The most significant changes perceived by farmers were increased temperature and low rainfall. The results equally revealed that smallholder farmers in the Olifants catchment had adopted several adaptation strategies in response to the perceived climate change. The significant adaptation strategies from the results include changing cropping patterns and planting date, use of improved seed variety, and chemical fertilizers. The study, therefore, concludes that crop diversification and agroforestry were more effective and sustainable in mitigating the impact of climate change.Keywords: adaptation, climate change, perception, smallholder farmers
Procedia PDF Downloads 18311438 Sustainable Traditional Architecture and Urban Planning in Hot–Humid Climate of Iran
Authors: Farnaz Nazem
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This paper concentrates on the sustainable traditional architecture and urban planning in hot-humid regions of Iran. In a vast country such as Iran with different climatic zones traditional builders have presented series of logical solutions for human comfort. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate traditional architecture in hot-humid climate of Iran as a sample of sustainable architecture. Iranian traditional architecture has been able to response to environmental problems for a long period of time. Its features are based on climatic factors, local construction materials of hot-humid regions and culture. This paper concludes that Iranian traditional architecture can be addressed as a sustainable architecture.Keywords: hot-humid climate, Iran, sustainable traditional architecture, urban planning
Procedia PDF Downloads 60711437 Abusing Business Rescue Proceedings by a Director and Its Impact on the Ethics of Good Corporate Governance
Authors: Simphiwe Phungula
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In the past few years, the impact of Covid 19 in South Africa has given rise to the need for business rescue proceedings where businesses are financially distressed. Even more, the looting unrest and floods in certain parts of South Africa have also played an impact on businesses’ financial stress. To help financially distressed companies in South Africa, the Companies Act (“the Act”) has introduced a business rescue procedure aimed at helping those ailing companies. This mechanism is aimed at rehabilitating financially distressed companies so that they become solvent again and if it is not possible, results in a better return for the company’s creditors or shareholders than would result from the immediate liquidation of the company. Unfortunately, since the introduction of business rescue, evidence has shown that sometimes companies resort to business rescue proceedings to seek refuge from creditors even if the facts do not justify that the company should commence business rescue. In most cases, the abuse of business rescue is done by directors who pass a resolution that the company should embark on business rescue even if evidence shows that the company should not commence the proceedings. This is done notwithstanding the principles of King Code IV which requires ethics and good governance on the part of directors. This paper demonstrates how the abuse of business rescue can impact the principles of good governance and ethics of King Code IV. It argues that directors should rethink their corporate practices, and ethical standards when passing a resolution to commence business rescue proceedings.Keywords: business rescue, king code, corporate governance, ethics
Procedia PDF Downloads 10611436 Reading Strategies of Generation X and Y: A Survey on Learners' Skills and Preferences
Authors: Kateriina Rannula, Elle Sõrmus, Siret Piirsalu
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Mixed generation classroom is a phenomenon that current higher education establishments are faced with daily trying to meet the needs of modern labor market with its emphasis on lifelong learning and retraining. Representatives of mainly X and Y generations in one classroom acquiring higher education is a challenge to lecturers considering all the characteristics that differ one generation from another. The importance of outlining different strategies and considering the needs of the students lies in the necessity for everyone to acquire the maximum of the provided knowledge as well as to understand each other to study together in one classroom and successfully cooperate in future workplaces. In addition to different generations, there are also learners with different native languages which have an impact on reading and understanding texts in third languages, including possible translation. Current research aims to investigate, describe and compare reading strategies among the representatives of generation X and Y. Hypotheses were formulated - representatives of generation X and Y use different reading strategies which is also different among first and third year students of the before mentioned generations. Current study is an empirical, qualitative study. To achieve the aim of the research, relevant literature was analyzed and a semi-structured questionnaire conducted among the first and third year students of Tallinn Health Care College. Questionnaire consisted of 25 statements on the text reading strategies, 3 multiple choice questions on preferences considering the design and medium of the text, and three open questions on the translation process when working with a text in student’s third language. The results of the questionnaire were categorized, analyzed and compared. Both, generation X and Y described their reading strategies to be 'scanning' and 'surfing'. Compared to generation X, first year generation Y learners valued interactivity and nonlinear texts. Students frequently used strategies of skimming, scanning, translating and highlighting together with relevant-thinking and assistance-seeking. Meanwhile, the third-year generation Y students no longer frequently used translating, resourcing and highlighting while Generation X learners still incorporated these strategies. Knowing about different needs of the generations currently inside the classrooms and on the labor market enables us with tools to provide sustainable education and grants the society a work force that is more flexible and able to move between professions. Future research should be conducted in order to investigate the amount of learning and strategy- adoption between generations. As for reading, main suggestions arising from the research are as follows: make a variety of materials available to students; allow them to select what they want to read and try to make those materials visually attractive, relevant, and appropriately challenging for learners considering the differences of generations.Keywords: generation X, generation Y, learning strategies, reading strategies
Procedia PDF Downloads 18011435 Functional to Business Process Orientation in Business Schools
Authors: Sunitha Thappa
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Business environment is a set of complex interdependent dimensions that corporates have to always be vigil in identifying the influential waves. Over the year business environment has evolved into a basket of uncertainties. Every organization strives to counter this dynamic nature of business environment by recurrently evaluating the primary and support activities of its value chain. This has led to companies redesigning their business models, reinvent business processes and operating procedure on unremitting basis. A few specific issues that are placed before the present day managers are breaking down the functional interpretation of any challenge that organizations confronts, reduction in organizational hierarchy and tackling the components of the value chain to retain their competitive advantage. It is how effectively managers detect the changes and swiftly reorient themselves to these changes that define their success or failure. Given the complexity of decision making in this dynamic environment, two important question placed before the B-schools of today. Firstly, are they grooming and nurturing managerial talent proficient enough to thrive in this multifaceted business environment? Secondly, are the management graduates walking through their portals, able to view challenges from a cross-functional perspective with emphasis to customer and process rather than hierarchy and functions. This paper focuses on the need for a process oriented approach to management education.Keywords: management education, pedagogy, functional, process
Procedia PDF Downloads 33211434 Supply Chains Resilience within Machine-Made Rug Producers in Iran
Authors: Malihe Shahidan, Azin Madhi, Meisam Shahbaz
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In recent decades, the role of supply chains in sustaining businesses and establishing their superiority in the market has been under focus. The realization of the goals and strategies of a business enterprise is largely dependent on the cooperation of the chain, including suppliers, distributors, retailers, etc. Supply chains can potentially be disrupted by both internal and external factors. In this paper, resilience strategies have been identified and analyzed in three levels: sourcing, producing, and distributing by considering economic depression as a current risk factor for the machine-made rugs industry. In this study, semi-structured interviews for data gathering and thematic analysis for data analysis are applied. Supply chain data has been gathered from seven rug factories before and after the economic depression through semi-structured interviews. The identified strategies were derived from literature review and validated by collecting data from a group of eighteen industry and university experts, and the results were analyzed using statistical tests. Finally, the outsourcing of new products and products in the new market, the development and completion of the product portfolio, the flexibility in the composition and volume of products, the expansion of the market to price-sensitive, direct sales, and disintermediation have been determined as strategies affecting supply chain resilience of machine-made rugs' industry during an economic depression.Keywords: distribution, economic depression, machine-made rug, outsourcing, production, sourcing, supply chain, supply chain resilience
Procedia PDF Downloads 16411433 Concerted Strategies for Sustainable Water Resource Management in Semi-Arid Rajasthan State of India
Authors: S. K. Maanju, K. Saha, Sonam Yadav
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Rapid urbanization growth and multi-faceted regional level industrialization is posing serious threat to natural groundwater resource in State of Rajasthan which constitute major semi-arid part of India. The groundwater resources of the State are limited and cannot withstand the present rate of exploitation for quite a long time. Recharging of groundwater particularly in the western part, where annual precipitation does not exceed a few centimeters, is extremely slow and cannot replenish the exploited quantum. Hence, groundwater in most of the parts of this region has become an exhausting resource. In major parts water table is lowering down rapidly and continuously. The human beings of this semi-arid region are used to suffering from extreme climatic conditions of arid to semi-arid nature and acute shortage of water. The quality of groundwater too in many areas of this region is not up to the standards prescribed by the health organizations like WHO and BIS. This semi-arid region is one of the highly fluoride contaminated area of India as well as have excess, nitrates, sulphates, chlorides and total dissolved solids at various locations. Therefore, concerted efforts are needed towards sustainable development of groundwater in this State of India.Keywords: Rajasthan, water, exploitation, sustainable, development and resource
Procedia PDF Downloads 34911432 Toward Sustainable Solutions: Indonesia's Humanitarian Approach to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
Authors: Hengki
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This study explores Indonesia's approach to addressing the Rohingya refugee crisis, emphasizing its efforts to balance humanitarian principles with national and regional challenges. Employing a qualitative, normative legal analysis, the research integrates data from government reports, ASEAN and UN documents, and prior studies. Indonesia's strategies include facilitating temporary shelter, promoting education for refugee children, and advancing international cooperation through partnerships with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM). While not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Indonesia adheres to the principle of non-refoulement and seeks to address the crisis through its Presidential Regulation No. 125/2016, quiet diplomacy, and ASEAN-led initiatives. Despite these efforts, challenges persist, such as limited legal frameworks, coordination barriers between government levels, and slow regional collaboration. The study underscores the urgency of developing sustainable solutions, including revising domestic policies, enhancing ASEAN's collective response, and aligning with international standards. By addressing these challenges, Indonesia can not only uphold refugee rights but also promote regional stability and human rights values. This research contributes to understanding the complexities of refugee management in Indonesia and offers a foundation for future studies aimed at refining policies and strategies.Keywords: rohingya refugees, indonesia, humanitarian aid, international collaboration, refugee law
Procedia PDF Downloads 411431 Prolonging Late Career Phase - a Sustainable Career Perspective
Authors: Hanna Salminen
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Due to the large societal changes in working life, such as retirement reforms, globalization and technological changes, careers are becoming longer, more varied and unpredictable than before. Similar to other new career concepts, such as protean and boundaryless career, a sustainable career concept emphasizes an individual’s active role and agency in managing his/her own career in changing working life. However, the sustainable career concept also underlines the importance of safeguarding and developing human capital over time and thereby fostering continuity. Especially, the theoretical discussion around sustainable careers stresses flexible career choices that meet an individual’s own personal needs, allow work-family balance and promotes continuous learning. Although sustainable careers concern employees at all ages, this study focuses on older employees (aged 50+). So far, the changing nature of careers has been mainly investigated among younger generations, and the changing and prolonging late career phase has received less attention among career scholars. In other words, there is lack of knowledge regarding what constitutes a sustainable career in the late career phase and how the individual, organizational, and societal levels of sustainable career ecosystem are interconnected. The theoretical discussion around sustainable careers is closely linked to the sustainable management of human resources in organizations. In the field of human resource management (HRM), sustainable HRM has received more attention in recent years and it has been seen as a step forward from strategic HRM approach. As a concept, sustainable HRM stresses the long-term focus on organizations’ social, economic, and ecological resources, and the benefits of HRM practices for employees, organizations, and the society at large. However, some HRM scholars argue that the ecological and financial matters have overshadowed the social aspect of sustainability. In this study, the sustainable career and sustainable HRM literature are combined. As a result of an integrative literature review, this study provides new insight, how sustainable late career phase has been understood and conceptualized in sustainable career and sustainable HRM literature.Keywords: sustainability, career, human resource management, ageing
Procedia PDF Downloads 13211430 Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: Apology Strategies by Libyans
Authors: Ahmed Elgadri
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In the last thirty years, studies on cross-cultural pragmatics in general and apology strategies in specific have focused on western and East-Asian societies. A small volume of research has been conducted in investigating speech acts production by Arabic dialect speakers. Therefore, this study investigated the apology strategies used by Libyan Arabic speakers using an online Discourse Completion Task (DCT) questionnaire. The DCT consisted of six situations covering different social contexts. The survey was written in Libyan Arabic dialect to help generate vernacular speech as much as possible. The participants were 25 Libyan nationals, 12 females, and 13 males. Also, to get a deeper understanding of the motivation behind the use of certain strategies, the researcher interviewed four participants using the Libyan Arabic dialect as well. The results revealed a high use of IFID, offer of repair, and explanation. Although this might support the universality claim of speech acts strategies, it was clear that cultural norms and religion determined the choice of apology strategies significantly. This led to the discovery of new culture-specific strategies, as outlined later in this paper. This study gives an insight into politeness strategies in Libyan society, and it is hoped to contribute to the field of cross-cultural pragmatics.Keywords: apologies, cross-cultural pragmatics, language and culture, Libyan Arabic, politeness, pragmatics, socio-pragmatics, speech acts
Procedia PDF Downloads 15011429 English Learning Strategy and Proficiency Level of the First Year Students, International College, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
Authors: Kanokrat Kunasaraphan
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The purpose of the study was to identify whether English language learning strategies commonly used by the first year students at International College, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University include six direct and indirect strategies. The study served to explore whether there was a difference in these students’ use of six direct and indirect English learning strategies between the different levels of their English proficiency. The questionnaire used as a research instrument was comprised of two parts: General information of participants and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The researcher employed descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA (F-test) to analyze the data. The results of the analysis revealed that English learning strategies commonly used by the first year students include six direct and indirect strategies, including differences in strategy use of the students with different levels of English proficiency. Recommendations for future research include the study of language learning strategy use with other research methods focusing on other languages, specific language skills, and/or the relationship of language learning strategy use and other factors in other programs and/or institutions.Keywords: English learning strategies, direct strategies, indirect strategies, proficiency level
Procedia PDF Downloads 30311428 The Role of Capital Budgeting in Nigeria Companies
Authors: Eworo David
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It is dearly evident that a company which does not and will not innovate faces the grave danger of being pushed out of existence. The purpose of this study is to bring to knowledge of companies the significance of capital budgeting in viable project implementation and for proper investment appraisal as regards steps involved in effective investment strategies. The study examines investment policies of Nigeria companies. It deals with an overview of capital budgeting. The analysis covers the data gathered from two multi-national companies in Nigeria. The population of the study was the senior managers and the top management staff of the companies. The system of capital budgeting structure and project implementation styles were compared and contrasted to determine whether the system has MADE or MARRED the development of the organizations. The recommendations contribute towards Nigeria companies to remain and survive in business through the use of capital budgeting.Keywords: appraisal, budgeting structure, capital budgeting, effective investment strategies
Procedia PDF Downloads 362